One thing that changed the face of modern-day retail was infomercials. These 30 minute long commercials for a product in which an over the top spokesperson tells you how great a product is. They include testimonials of people backing up what has already been said. Celebrity endorsements helped and continue to help with some products. But the real game-changer was the money back guarantee. “Try it in your home for ____ number of days, and if you aren’t fully satisfied, just send it back for your full refund, minus shipping and handling.” That one statement gave people the confidence to start calling 1-800 phone numbers or now ordering online these products they had never seen before. Thanks to that line, the infomercial business in over a $1 billion dollar business within the United States each year. However, there is an even greater guarantee that you can have. A hope not that you can get your money back, but that your soul is perfectly protected for all eternity. It is found in Hebrews 6:19, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”
The writer of Hebrews is showing the absolute certainty of the new covenant being a better covenant than the old one. The old covenant was in the Law. It was mediated by the priesthood, which was imperfect. However, this new covenant is in Jesus, specifically His blood that was shed for our sins. This covenant is mediated by the eternal God, who is perfect, and cannot lie. This new covenant is eternal and unbreakable, because of the One who created the covenant. This is why it is an anchor for our soul. Our soul can be steadfast in knowing that no matter what happens in our life, because we have been saved by God’s grace, we are secure in God’s presence. This is why our hope must be in Jesus. Because it our hope for salvation is in anyone or anything other than Jesus, our soul will not be anchored in the unmovable Rock. Think of a ship that has dropped its anchor. No matter the wind or the waves, it won’t move because the anchor is holding it in place. This is who Jesus is to the Christian. He is both the Rock and the anchor. Therefore, no matter what comes in life, we can know that our life and our soul will not be moved away from God. Whatever happens in this life, we know that it will end with us being in the presence of God for all eternity. We can know this because it is promised by the eternal God who can never lie. That’s an anchor! That is better than any money-back guarantee we could ever get from some infomercial.
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin